Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, health and marriage.

The population reached nearly 380,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.3%, from just under 347,000 to 379,000.

The addition of about 32,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was home to, on average, 17 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Latest census data also show that the median age of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained 41 years in the decade to 2011.

This city had a slightly lower average age than the South West and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 10,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 14% of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that rented privately increased from 13% to 22% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) households lived in social housing, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole households that owned their home decreased from 74% to 64%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South West (from 11% in 2001 to 17% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.1% to 6.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.0% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 7.0% in 2001 to 7.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole saw the South West's second-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, just under 1 in 18 (5.5%) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 9.3% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 67% to 81%.

Across the region, only Cornwall saw a greater fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad (from 10% to 6.3%).

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 8.5% to 5.1%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole working less than 16 hours increased from 2.2% to 3.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 10 (9.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 13% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The number of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that described themselves as Hindu increased from about 530 in 2001 to about 1,900 in 2011. This represents a change from 0.2% to 0.5% of the local population.

The percentage decreased at a similar rate to the average across the South West (from 0.2% to 0.3%) and the average across England (from 1.2% to 1.6%).

The number of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 250,000 in 2001 to about 230,000 in 2011 (from 73% to 60%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 58,000 to about 110,000 (from 17% to 29%).

Just over 29,000 people (7.9%) did not state their religion, up from just over 27,000 in 2001 (7.7%).

The population who identified as Hindu in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained close to 0.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole at a faster rate than in New Forest (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole).

In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the proportion of single people increased from 29% in 2001 to 35% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby New Forest increased from 22% to 25%.

Across the South West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of married people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole fell from 50% to 45%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 12% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that were studying increased from 3.1% to 4.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (52%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 51% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that were unemployed increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with children decreased from 25% to 24% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 7 in 10 (68%) households had no children, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 8.0%.

The proportion of households with children fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 28% in 2001 to 27% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 30% to 29%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.0% in 2001 to 2.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained close to 2.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which comprised a single parent, increased from 8.4% to 8.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households had a married couple, compared with 32% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.9% to 9.7%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

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